preffions from the Remarks of their Opponent, in which Expreffions or Remarks the original Truth has no Concern.

AND fometimes again you fhall find even Writers of good Senfe, who have happened to exprefs themfelves in an improper and indefenfible Manner, led away by the Fondnefs of Self-love to juftify thofe Expreffions, and vindicate thofe little Lapfes they were guilty of, rather than they will condefcend to correct thofe little Miftakes, or recall thofe improper Expreffions. O that we could put off our Pride, our Self-fufficiency, and our Infallibility, when we enter into a Debate of Truth. But if the Writer is guilty of mingling thefe Things with his grand Argument, happy will that Reader be that has Judgment enough to distinguish them, and to neglect every Thing that does not belong to the original Theme propofed and difputed.

YET here it may be proper to put in one Exception to this general Obfervation or Remark, viz. when the fecond Writer attacks only a particular or collateral Opinion which was maintained by the first, then the fourth Writing may be fuppofed to contain a neceffary Part of the compleat Force of the Argument, as well as the Second and Third, because the first Writing only occafionally or collaterally mentioned that Sentiment which the Second attacks and opposes;

and

and in such a Cafe the Second may be efteemed as the firft Treatife on that Controverfy. It would take up too much Time should we mention Inftances of this Kind which might be pointed to in moft of our Controverfial Writers, and it might be invidious to enter into the Detail *

WH

SECT. II.

Of Reading Controverfies.

HEN we take a Book into our Hands wherein any Doctrine of Opinion is printed in a way of Argument,

we

Upon this it may be remarked farther, that there is a certain Spirit of Modefty and of Benevolence which never fails to adorn a Writer on fuch Occafions, and which generally does him much more Service in the Judgment of wife and fenfible Men, than any Poignancy of Satire with which he might be able to animate his Productions; and as this always appears amiable, fo is it peculiarly charming when the Opponent fhews that Pertnefs and Petulency which is fo very common on fuch Occafions. When a Writer inftead of purfuing with eager Refentment the Antagonist that has given fuch Provocation, calmly attends to the main Question in Debate, with a noble Negligence of those little Advantages which Ill-nature and Ill-manners always give, he acquires a Glory far fuperior to any Tro phies which Wit can raife. And it is highly probable, that the folid Inftruction his Pages may contain will give a Continuance to his Writings far beyond what Tracts of peevish Controverfy are to expect, of which the much greater Part are born away into Oblivion by the Wind they raife, or burned in their own Flames.

we are too often fatisfied and determined before-hand whether it be right or wrong; and if we are on the Writer's Side, we are generally tempted to take his Arguments for folid and fubftantial: And thus our own former Sentiment is established more powerfully, without a fincere Search after Truth. If we are on the other Side of the Queftion, we then take it for granted that there is nothing of Force in thefe Arguments, and we are fatisfied with a fhort Survey of the Book, and are foon perfuaded to pronounce Miftake, Weakness and Infufficiency concerning it. Multitudes of common Readers, who are fallen into any Error, when they are directed and advised to read a Treatife that would fet them right, read it with a fort of Difguft which they have before entertained; they fkim lightly over the Argu ments, they neglect or defpife the Force of them, and keep their own Conclufion firm in their Affent, and thus they maintain their Error in the midst of Light, and grow incapable of Conviction.

BUT if we would indeed act like fincere Searchers of the Truth, we should furvey every Argument with a careful and unbiaffed Mind, whether it agree with our former Opinion, or no: We fhould give every Reafoning its full Force, and weigh it in our fedateft Judgment. Now the best way to try what Force there is in the Arguments

which are brought against our own Opini ons is, to fit down and endeavour to give a folid Answer, one by one, to every Argument that the Author brings to fupport his own Doctrine: And in this Attempt if we find there fome Arguments which we are not able to answer fairly to our own Minds, we should then begin to bethink ourselves, whether we have not been hitherto in a Miftake, and whether the Defender of the contrary Sentiments may not be in the Right. Such a Method, as this will effectually for bid us to pronounce at once against those Doctrines, and thofe Writers, which are contrary to our Sentiments; and we fhall endeavour to find folid Arguments to refute their Pofitions, before we entirely establish ourselves in a contrary Opinion.

VOLATILIS had given himself up to the Conversation of the Free-Thinkers of our Age, upon all Subjects, and being pleafed with the Wit, and Appearance of Ar gument, in fome of our modern Deifts, had too easily deferted the Chriftian Faith, and gone over to the Camp of the Infidels. Among other Books which were recommended to him, to reduce him to the Faith of the Gospel, he had Mr. John Reynolds's three Letters to a Deift put into his Hand, and was particularly defired to peruse the third of them with the utmost Care, as being an unanswerable Defence of the Truth H

of

of Chriftianity. He took it in Hand, and after having given it a fhort furvey, he told his Friend he faw nothing in it but the common Arguments which we all ufe to fupport the Religion in which we had been educated, but they wrought no Conviction in him; nor did he fee fufficient Reason to believe that the Gofpel of Chrift was not a Piece of Enthusiasm, or a mere Imposture.

UPON this the Friend who recommended Mr. Reynolds's three Letters to his Study, being confident of the Force of Truth which lay there, entreated of Volatilis that he would fet himself down with Diligence, and try to anfwer Mr. Reynolds's third Letter in Vindication of the Gofpel; and that he would fhow under every Head how the feveral Steps which were taken in the Propagation of the Chriftian Religion might be the natural Effects of Impofture or Enthusiasm; and confequently that it deferves no Credit amongst Men.

VOLATILIS undertook the Work, and after he had entered a little Way into it found himself fo bewildered, and his Arguments to prove the Apoftles either Enthufiafts or Impoftors fo muddled, fo perplexed and fo inconclufive, that by a diligent Review of this Letter to the Deift, at laft he acknowledged himself fully convinced. that the Religion of Jefus was Divine; for that Chriftian Author had made it appear it

was